Fruit picker



Nov. 16, 1943. E. F. SCHAEFER FRUIT PICKER Fi led June 20, 1942 s Sheets-Sheet 1 I ul'eutor EEGSZFSCMB GI' 16, 1943. E. F. ISCHAEFER.

FRUIT PICKER Filed June 20, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill lllllllrllln Inventor Email. Sci/0e er WWW Nov. 16, 1943. E. F. scHAEFER 2,334,292

FRUIT PICKER Filed June 20, 1942 3 $heets-$heet 3 Inventor Ewes? Saba/yer Patented Nev. is, 1943 g UNITED] STATES PATENT OFFICE v 2,334,292 a s FRUIT PICKER i v Ernest F. Schaefer, Fort Wayne, Ind. App ication we 20, 1 42, Serial No. 447,845

lClaim. (01. 56-339) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in fruit picking devices whereby I plums, apples, oranges, pears and various other fruits can be picked from high limbs while the. picker is on the ground. I

The principal-object of the present invention is to provide a picking device which. does not require any hinged .or pivoted part that must necessarily be operated by one hand of the picker in cutting oif fruits. j

Another important object of the invention is to provide a harvesting device for orchards which is extremely simple in construction permit-' A ting manufacture and maintenance at very low cost.

Other objects and advantages of the-invention will become apparentto the reader of the following description.

In the drawings 7 Figure 1 represents a top plan View. Figure 2 is a side elevational view. Figure 3 is an end elevational view. Figure 4 is a cross sectional 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view on the line 5--5 of Figure 1. I

View on the line the curved ends l6 of a pair of fingers l0 when w the fruit is properly engaged.

As is apparent in Figure 7, the ring [3 is split and has its end portions twisted together to pro- 1 vide a shank H which is disposed into a socket or bore l8 formed in the adjacent end of the handle 5. Thus the head structure 8 is carried by the handle 5. i

Numeral [9 denotes an elongated fabric sack closed at its opposite end and having an opening in the top portion thereof adjacent one end from the edge portion of which rises a short chute 20, the upper end portion of which has a hem 2| through which a. tiecord 22 is trained.

By pulling this tie cord taut to bind the hem V edge of the chute over the lowermost ring 9, the tie cord 22 can be knotted to the end that the chute 20 will remain attached to the head structure 8 and will not becomedisplaced until such time as it "is desired to remove the stack for the purpose of cleaning or storing separately from the head 8 and handle 5.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the picker head structure.

Figure? isa-fragmentary side elevational View with a portion in section showing the means of' attaching the handle. a Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen that numeral 51denotes an elongated handle which in,

order to supplement its length may be provided with a second handle 6 secured to one end of the handle 5 by a coupling 1. This depends upon the height of the tree from which fruit is to be picked.

The picker includes ahead structure general-. ly referred by numeral 8, this being made up of a ring 9 to which the lower ends ofa plurality of picker fingers l0 are secured by clinching over the lower ends .of the fingers as at H,

it being observed that the. fingers II] as well as the ring 9 are of heavy. gauge wire.

self.

It can be seen that the head end of the picker is lifted up to the fruit desired to be picked by the handle 5,Iand the fruit is engaged betweencertain of the curved ends iii of. the fingers I0. A downward pull will hold the fruit loose and the fruit will fall through the chute 20 into the bag IS without any injury to it- Obviously. the head structure 8 can'be detached from the handle 5 and the bag ill from both of these units for the purpose of storing" the structure in. a small space.

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described theinvention, what is claimed as new is:

- l A fruit picker comprising a handle, an annuflar h'ead at' one endof the handle comprising Rings l2,.|3, l4 and I5 are set down in con- 7 l junction with the fingers ill in a woven manner to the end that the fingers H) are definitely set' in an annular arrangement.

The upper ends of the fingers") curve inward- 1y as at Iii so as to engage the fruit to be pulled from a tree limb, the stem of the particular piece of fruit, of course, passing upwardly'between a plurality of wire rings spacedapart coaxially, one of the rings being attached to and extend ing from said end of the handle, and rod-like picker fingers grouped around said head cross- WlSe thereof with end portions interwoven with all of said rings and terminals thereof clinched around one of the rings, and a bag having an open end surrounding the head and detachably secured thereto. V

' ERNEST F. SCHAEFER. 

